


Lullaby.

by Waltzwashere



Series: Conversations. [2]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Conversations, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29541057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waltzwashere/pseuds/Waltzwashere
Summary: Boruto and Momoshiki have a talk. (You should read Karma before this.)
Relationships: Kawaki & Uzumaki Boruto
Series: Conversations. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170281
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Lullaby.

**Author's Note:**

> I thought about waiting to upload this until the new Boruto manga chapter is out. (Especially since it's tomorrow.) But nah. Here ya go.

“How disappointing,” Momoshiki uttered, laying on the ground. “A vulgar creature like you got this far. But you can’t even kill me?” Boruto’s shaky hands were on Momoshiki’s shoulders. He was sitting on top of the Otsutsuki. “What’s wrong Boruto Uzumaki? Why do you hesitate?” Momoshiki regretted his taunt as soon as it left his lips. Boruto’s head went numb, falling onto his pale chest. The blond creature was sobbing on top of him. “Disgusting, get off of me and finish this already.” Boruto shot up.

“I can’t kill you yet! You have to tell me- How do I bring back Kawaki?”

“How would I know?” 

“Tell me!” 

“I already told you, yelling and dispelling your disgusting liquids won’t change that.” 

“Then he’s really gone…” Momoshiki watched curiously as the blonde boy picked himself up. “Kawaki…” 

“I tell you creatures this always. But you never listen. Inherently stubborn, inherently unwise.” The Otsutsuki coughed up blood. “Back during my first attack, I watched the rinnegan holder protect his child and the fox protect you. Ridiculous.” 

“There’s nothing ridiculous about protecting something you care about.” 

“Don’t misunderstand me. When I was in your body I protected you quite well. I recall you even relying on me a few times to save you.” Boruto stared blankly, letting the Otsutsuki ramble. “Maybe my kind and your kind aren’t so different. We both use relationships to push forward. The way Kinshiki turned himself into fruit to help me, is the same way Kawaki died to protect you. Honestly, it was foolish to bring him here after killing the- _What do you call us? Monsters?_ Right, it was foolish to bring him here after killing the monster inside him. But maybe I can be your new brother, especially after our long relationship.” 

“Relationship? You… you’re more than a monster. You’re a parasite! You literally made me watch my Uncle’s death… I can’t look at his daughter ever again.” The parasite under him nodded. 

“I recall that the rinnegan user was close with the fox. They had worked so hard just for one to end up dead. The same happened today, you and Kawaki were ostracised by your own village, your own Hokage, your own father. Yet you fought and fought, you struggled and struggled, and now you’re here mourning Kawaki’s death. Wouldn't you rather this?” Boruto looked at the pale Otsutsuki. “I’ve had countless disciples, some more invaluable than others. But in the end, they were tools and I felt nothing for them once they perished.” 

“That sounds horrible.” 

“Are you dense!? You’ve won this battle but you can’t bathe in the victory because you're crying over him! I lost this fight but I’m the one who’s composed!”

“I bet if you loved Kinshiki you would be fighting right now. You might have even won.” The Otsutsuki narrowed his eyes as Boruto continued. “The moment Kawaki died, the only thing I could think of was killing you. My Dad already told you this but strength doesn’t come from pills. It’s the only thing you can’t cheat.”

“I am aware of the Fox’s beliefs, but the pills aren’t only for strength.” The Otsutsuki mumbled.

“You can live forever with them, right?” 

“Yes, but it’s more crucial than that. Without them, we can’t live at all. It’s how we eat- how we drink- how we breathe- it’s everything. _The way of our clan_. We are born, we grow, we turn our brethren and planets into fruit, then we move on. How does that sound to you, vulgar creature?” 

“It sounds pointless. I fight to protect, you fight to spend eternity in space sucking the life out of planets.”

“That’s not only it.” 

“Hm?”

“That’s right you never felt it.” 

“Felt what?”

“Eating the chakra fruit is like tasting a new life. You’re filled with energy and the desire to get more.” 

“It’s… addicting?” 

“Isn’t all power addicting? Isn’t that why the rinnegan user fought so hard in his teens? Isn’t that why the fox trained so hard, it was all for power.” 

“Your eyes are dented. Sasuke was lost and Dad… was trying to save their bond.” Boruto looked down, trembling once more. Momoshiki rolled his eyes. 

“Are you seriously crying again? I can’t believe someone as dense as you possess the Pure Eye. You should have seen this coming.” Boruto looked back down.

“Since you're on your deathbed, tell me what the Pure Eye can do.” Again, Momoshiki rolled his eyes. 

“It has many properties the Byakugan has. But there is one thing that makes it different.” Boruto leaned closer. “The Pure Eye can conduct time.” Boruto inhaled. “When it first appeared in small sectors in the clan, the elders ordered its extinction.” 

“Why?” 

“Controlling with time is quite bothersome. The possibility of enemies having that power was too risky. And Otsutsuki’s members tend to be selfish, betrayal is tiresome and slows that clan’s growth. So any Otsutsuki member that inherited this eye had to be killed or have their eyes taken away. ” 

“Then why didn’t you kill me before?” 

“I told you, Otsutsuki are selfish. I was going to take over your body and thus take your eye.

“But you lost and now I have it.” 

“Unfortunately.” 

“So I can go back… and prevent Kawaki from…” 

“This is why they eradicated the Pure Eye. Even if you could go back in time you would need a monstrous amount of chakra to do that. No matter what you can’t turn back the _clocks_ of time!” Boruto finally stood. 

“Maybe I don’t have to turn _all_ the clocks then.” Boruto stared down at Momoshiki with a new expression. “We are born, we grow, we turn our brethren into fruit, then we move on, that’s the way of our clan. Right, Momoshiki Otsutsuki?” 

“Precisely.” Boruto lifted his hand, the chakra from his body moving to his right eye. Momoshiki closed his eyes for the last time. His scream was willfully burned into the blonde's mind. His body condensed into a small magenta _fruit_ as they called it. Boruto started for a moment. Then consumed it.

_“Can you stop humming? It’s annoying and I’m trying to sleep.” Kawaki said from the floor of Boruto’s room._

_“I can’t help it! I’m happy.” Boruto giggled from his bed._

_“Why? Is it because of your 14th birthday? Trust me Boruto it’s not that exciting.”_

_“No, not that. I heard what you called Dad~”_

_“Ugh, it was an accident. I’m never doing it again.”_

_“No, no. It’s fine. It’s great actually. It’s like you're officially a part of the family now.”_

_“I wasn’t before?”_

_“No, what I mean is sometimes you can be hard to read Kawaki. But now we know how you feel.”_

_“I guess It’s nice to be officially a part of the family. I never had a mom or a sister before.” Boruto began to hum again, happy his brother was happy. “Enough! I get it, you’re glad! Stop humming. What song are you even singing?”_

_“I dunno. I just do it when I’m happy, or if I need to relax. Maybe you should try it. You get grumpy a lot.”_

_“How does humming make you feel better?”_

_“I dunno! It just does, why stop if it feels good ya know?” Boruto began to calmly hum to himself, within 30 minutes he was out cold. Kawaki scoffed, but then slid into his sheets. Quietly he hummed to himself and moments later he serenaded his own lullaby. Then casually fell asleep._

Boruto recalled that moment. The next months after that his life crashed. Isshiki attacked and suddenly he was having doctor's appointments after therapy appointments trying to cope with murder. Murder of his Uncle, murder of innocent civilians, murder of his inner self; his inner values. Murder, just Murder. Why were he and murder so close? Some days he wished his lullaby would put him to sleep forever. And right when his wish was about to come true. His stupid brother convinced him to keep living.

Now his knees were laying on extraterrestrial dirt holding his brother's dead corpse. He was humming while rocking his body. Weeping, he stood. _Murder... is just murder._ He found Momoshiki's exhausted body and forced it into submission. Murder is just murder. It shouldn't matter. His hands were bloody because of the pale being under him. He and murder were so close because of this pretentious creature. This was justice but his hands could only understand murder. Just...

However, his destiny was again revealed in a living dark-pink nightmare. He saw his answer, and now murder, just murder seemed like child's play. It was a cruel justice he would live with forever. He consumed Momoshiki's chakra-

-and exploded. 

The pain and dopamine were engulfing. His eyes turned white as the overwhelming and the overflowing chakra made a dark pink glow around him. He could feel his skin cells ripping themselves apart and regenerating instantly. He held his hand out walking to his brother's body.

He hated how he was so close to murder. But this one time he could change that feeling, that emotion. When he found Kawaki's corpse, he could tell there were other beings there. But he ignores them lifting his fist.

"Reverse Lullaby Jutsu." He whispered, elegantly smashing his fist into his brother’s heart. All the chakra from his body vanished in a second and he collapsed hearing the sounds of someone gasping into life. _Murder... is just murder and_ _death... is just death_. 

They don’t mean anything anymore.


	2. Melody.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell yall how hard this was to write.

"How did you create that Jutsu? The one you used to bring Kawaki back?" Boruto and his brother were sitting in two chairs in front of a crowd of people. It wasn't supposed to feel hostile but Boruto could tell that the trust he had built with some of these people was severed (for now at least). While that was true, they did seem grateful that he and Kawaki had killed the Otsutsuki that resided in them. Naruto, Shikamaru, the other 3 Kage (Gaara couldn’t make it), Katasuke, and Sakura. They were all sitting in front of them.

“Before we get to that,” Shikamaru interrupted. “Let’s review the report Sarada and Mitsuki made just so we’re up to speed.” The group nodded. Shikamaru grabbed the sheet of paper and began to read. “According to Team Captain Sarada, she had been tracking Boruto and Kawaki for the past month. When she and Mitsuki got close to Boruto he vanished through a portal with his Karma.”

“Boruto, do you still have that?” Naruto said in the middle of Shikamaru’s words. His son shook his head.

“Neither does Kawaki.” 

“That’s good, sorry Shikamaru keep going.” 

“Yeah, anyway, by the time Sarada figured out how to follow them using the rinnegan. Kawaki was dead and Boruto was gone. About an hour passed and Boruto came back looking God-like. He had punched Kawaki’s chest with a large amount of chakra and brought him back. The report also said that most of the chakra in Boruto’s body was gone after bringing back Kawaki. Kawaki was awake for a moment then passed out as well-”

"Can you do it again?" The Raikage interrupted. Boruto signed.

"I don't know. The first time I did it, I didn't really think. It all happened so fast I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to do something like that again."

"That jutsu," Sakura started. "It was a type of lightning style, yes?"

"I suppose so considering..." Boruto raised his arms, lifting his sleeves. Covered along his arms were twisted lines stretched out. The electricity had scarred him. "And since I have an affinity for lightning-style chakra nature I guess It makes sense." Naruto looked over at Sakura, worried.

"You said that the jutsu didn't leave any permanent damage right?" Naruto asked. Sakura hesitantly nodded.

"Lady Tsunade and I examined his body. It's only been a week so anything could still happen, but it looks like the overwhelming chakra had electricity coursing through Boruto's body. It was harming him but it also was healing him from what we can tell."

"So there are only scars left."

"Yes, it would seem."

"What about Kawaki's body?" Boruto glanced at his brother.

"There were similar electrical marks on Kawaki's chest, I assume that’s where Boruto punched him. But that was it. Other than that, he seems perfectly fine."

"Alright let's get back on topic." The Tsuchikage spoke loudly. "Boruto you said you did it without thinking, but you had to know something. Jutsus like those aren’t easy to do." The boy shrugged. “How about this then? The report said that your body was covered in a cloud of dark-pink chakra, yea?" Boruto nodded. "How did you get that much chakra to reanimate Kawaki's body? Did you kill anyone?" She said, receiving a look from both boys.

"No, I didn’t kill anyone and I wouldn't call it a reanimation Jutsu."

"You brought him back from the dead did you not?"

"It's hard to explain, reanimation isn't the right word. What I did... was reverse Kawaki’s time to before he was attacked." His brother's eyes widened. First Boruto brings him back from the dead, and now time travel? Or at least he messed with time? Kawaki could feel stares on them harden. 

"You...?" The room grew with chatter. Shikamaru glared at Naruto. Naruto sighed and asked the next question. 

"How did you learn that? Did someone teach you?"

"No, no nobody taught me, you know. I guess I got the idea from what Momoshiki told me." The previous chatter had erupted. Question after question was yelled out more demanding than the last. Boruto couldn't process anything until his brother smacked his shoulder.

"Wait! So you talked to the nigga!? The fuck Boruto! That's the most useful shit you've said all day! Why didn't you say anything sooner!?"

"I...er... forgot."

"How the hell do you forget talking to a goddamn alien!? You're so annoying, you literally never stop talking-!"

"Oh fuck off I brought you back from death! I don't need to hear shit from you!"

"You should have left me dead if you’re gonna be this dumb."

"Well, maybe I can go back in time and stop myself from saving your ass!"

“Oh please you would never, without my shoulder to lay on the fuck would you do with yourself?”

“You’re really starting to piss me off Kawaki!”

“Then fucking do something about it!” 

"Okay, boys.” Before his sons could attack each other Naruto stood up. “Relax, you can spar later.” His sons sat down, Naruto signed."Jeez, both of your vocabularies really flourished this past year, huh? Let's backtrack. Boruto how did you get that much chakra to use that Jutsu?" 

"I turned ‘em into fruit." The room finally quieted down. Naruto sat back down feeling some eyes behind him. 

“So you did kill someone?” The Tsuchikage said. 

“If you wanna mourn that monster go ahead.” The Tsuchikage didn’t reply. 

"How did you do that?" Kawaki asked, tapping Boruto’s leg; pulling his attention. 

"I dunno-" Boruto rubbed his neck. "-Bastard kept talking about the way of our clan. I kinda just hoped I could do it."

"The way of our clan? As in you?"

"Hm. Remember **that** day, he had said that we were 80% Otsutsuki. I figured I could do it or at least try. It seems we might have access to new abilities."

"You think that means we can fly or something?"

"You know I've been wondering about that."

“Maybe I’ll unlock the Byakugan before you do Boruto.” Kawaki mocked. 

“You trying to get on my bad side today or something?” 

“It’s not like you’re gonna do anything about it.” 

“Alright, Mr. I can’t decide if my hair is fucking blonde or black.”

“I-”

"Boys," Naruto called."You're getting distracted again." His sons looked over. "Boruto what did Momoshiki say to you?"

"Uh, he said a lot of stuff." Kawaki rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Okay then," Shikamaru chimed in. "What did he say that gave you the idea to bring Kawaki back?" Boruto sat up in his chair.

"After I was done... uh... mourning over Kawaki… I found Momoshiki wounded on the ground. I was going to kill him but I couldn't..."

"Why?"

"I just couldn't. So I asked him what my eye does."

"What did he say?"

"He told me... that the pure eye can control time. When the members of the Otsutsuki clan began to manifest this eye, he said that the elders ordered it to be extinguished so it would cause no harm. "

"A power that even gods fear-" The Mizukage muttered. "-How bothersome."

"Momoshiki said the same thing."

"When did you first notice you had this eye?" His Aunt asked.

"When I was 8, about 3 weeks before I went to the academy. I had noticed my friend was acting differently that day. At the time I called it a ghost and I could only see it with my pure eye." Boruto sighed. "I just assumed I inherited it from Mom and Dad."

"I see."

"What if someone gave it to you?" Kawaki said, pondering.

"What do you mean?"

"If your eye is something that even the gods fear it must be truly powerful right?" Boruto nodded. "What if someone saw the potential your eye could be on the universe and decided to give it to you? I mean you are Lord Seventh’s son they’d assume you’d carry out his ninja way. Or at least that’s what you shinobi are always worrying about." Boruto yelped, covering his right eye. “What’s wrong?”

"That guy!"

"What guy!? Who?" Naruto cried out.

"Remember that day I kept saying I had unlocked the byakugan? The night before, I had a dream- but it was probably a vision. I saw some guy and he said that my eye was special and that it would shoulder the fate of the world."

"Boruto," Naruto grumbled. "Why didn't you say anything!? That's super important!"

"I...uh... forgot." His brother punched his arm. "Ow!"

"What's with you and talking to important people and not remembering!?"

"Whatever fuck off Kawaki!"

“Who the hell sees a nigga in their dreams, wakes up the next morning with a strange eye, and mentions nothing about it-!?” 

“I forgot!”

“-My dumbass brother apparently!” 

“ _Fuck_ you!” 

“Fuck _you_!”

"Boys!" Naruto yelled over them. He took a deep breath. "Boruto what did they look like, what was their name?"

"He never said his name. But he... his eyes were closed the whole time. And he was wearing robes. He kind of dressed like an Otsutsuki member-" Naruto turned to Shikamaru and Sakura.

"It was Tenori." Shikamaru nodded. 

“Who is that?” 

“Tenori once attacked the Hidden Leaf,” Sakura explained. “Actually he almost destroyed the earth itself. He kidnapped Hanabi and tried to marry your mother.” 

“Wait what!?” Sakura nodded.

“I’ll tell you the whole story later,” Naruto said. 

“Ok.” 

"So that's the theory," Shikamaru began. "Tenori gave this pure eye to Boruto so he could save the world. The eye that can conduct time.” Shikamaru looked at his friend. “You seem angry Lord Hokage."

"I wish he would have asked me first before doing something like that." He sat back down.

"So now Boruto's a target." The Raikage spoke, everyone turned. The tension in the room grew. "With that power in you, Otsutsuki members or people seeking power might want to come and snatch it. And others might want to stop you from using it, afraid of what you might do with it."

"So what? We're a threat again?" Kawaki sneered.

"Not both of you this time, just him." The Raikage pointed at the blonde boy.

"A threat to my brother is a threat to me. I don't care who you are."

"Oh," The Raikage smirked.

"Kawaki, stop," Boruto said flustered. But his brother continued to talk. 

"Frankly I haven't forgotten about your little plan to kill us."

“And I,” The Tsuchikage noted. “Haven't forgotten all the Jonin from my village you’ve attacked.”

“We didn’t kill anyone though!” Boruto shouted. “And they started it!” 

“Regardless, taking my Jonin out of commission jeopardized the safety of my village.”

“We never asked you to send shinobi after us,” Kawaki said, ticked off by her existence. “That was your dumbass decision, you could have left us alone.” 

“I couldn’t just let you run around after what happened.” Boruto flinched. “You two were a threat and I was willing to deal with it.” The Tsuchikage continued talking endlessly. She was worried for her village and others. She kept dancing around the subject; everyone was watching, almost ignoring her words. Was she going to say it? Was she going to say his name? The last time someone mentioned Sasuke in front of Boruto… Naruto would stop her if she inched near that topic. “Look I’m not angry at you two personally but after what happened with-” 

“It’s over now Tsuchikage,” Naruto said quietly, trying to keep his composure. “The Karma is gone and the monsters in them are dead.” 

“But it’s his eye I’m worried about.” 

“I have to agree with her.” The Mizukage added. “I’m not saying we make another plan like the one a year.” 

“We’d run away again if you did that,” Kawaki said offhandedly. The Mizukage ignored him. 

“Maybe you should keep Boruto under lock and key just until we understand his power.”

“No, I won’t,” Naruto said, firmly. “I won’t isolate my son. I understand both of your worries. But there’s no reason to hide him away like that. Not until we know for sure someone is after his eye.”

“But the boy mentioned the way his eye was treated when it first manifested in the clan. Is it too far-fetched to think people would be after it?”

“Actually,” Boruto pondered. “All the Otsutsuki that knew about my eye, only knew about it when they saw it. It seems they have no way to detect it. They only knew once they saw it.”

“What’s your point, kid?” 

“All the Otsutsuki members we’ve fought are dead. So my eye is only known to you all, Sarada, and Mitsuki.” 

“So you want to hide it?” Kawaki asked. 

“I don’t like using it that much anyway. So yeah, I can hide it.” 

"I can't argue with my little brother on that one."

So are we settled then?” Naruto asked the group. 

“Settled?” Once more the Tsuchikage stood from her seat. “We’re ignoring a huge issue.” 

“What issue?” Sakura asked. 

“I hope we can all agree that Boruto cannot use that Jutsu or use his eye until further notice.” The group nodded. “Good, but just because we tell Boruto to not use his eye, doesn’t mean he’ll listen.” 

“He’s my son, Tsuchikage.” 

“Yes, but are we forgetting the past year when he was a rogue ninja! He ran away in the past too. We all remember the situation with Mitsuki right?” 

“You were on his side then. You told me to give Boruto and Sarada’s headbands back!” 

“Yes, I did. But that was before he manifested the power of a god!” 

“So what do you want me to do?” Naruto demanded. The Tsuchikage went silent. 

“We could…” Katasuke started, everyone turned to him forgetting he was here for this conversation. “Take out his eye.” The two boys twisted their faces in disgust. 

“Or we could destroy it right now.” The Tsuchikage suggested. 

“No, we're not doing that. Not with the little information we have about the eye and the Otsutsuki Clan.” 

“Lord Hokage.” 

“I won’t allow it.” The group stayed quiet letting the awkwardness fade. 

“If…” Boruto whispered, gathering everyone's attention. “If this offers any condolence to how I feel. That day when you made that plan to kill me. I was going to accept it.” Boruto made a conscious decision to not look at his father as he continued. “The reason I left was because I didn’t want you to kill Kawaki, and I didn’t want him to be alone. If that helps you understand how I feel… Lord Tsuchikage.” 

“Even though I can’t guarantee you’re telling the truth… I don’t think you’re lying. Not with that expression at least.” The tension in the room finally calmed down. 

"Is that all the questions we have?" Naruto asked. Suddenly Katasuke's hands were flaring about. "Yes?"

"Ah, I have a question for you young lord. The chakra fruit you said you ate. What was it like to consume it?" A pit in Boruto's stomach formed. Sweat dripped from his head. _That stupid fruit._

"... It was exhilarating. But I don't remember most of it, sorry."

"Ah, that's quite alright." Boruto could feel the very strong stare of his Uncle Shikamaru and his brother on him. But for right now he'd ignore it.

"Boruto," Sakura called. "If anything strange happens to your body. Tell us immediately, it doesn't matter if it seems mundane at the time. You too Kawaki. While you both seem fine right now. We don't know if Boruto gave a part of his life to save you. And even if Kawaki is alright now he could eventually pass away. We don’t know. Look I'm not trying to scare you two-"

"Too late," Kawaki mumbled under his breath.

"-But reanimation Jutsus, or whatever this Jutsu is, are usually temporary or have some sort of extreme cost. Just promise you'll come to me if something happens." They nodded. "And Boruto... go see Sarada. She missed you a lot." Boruto looked down.

"I will." His Aunt patted his head then left with the rest of the adults. He and Kawaki were left alone for a moment.

"Let's go home." Boruto insisted.

"Yeah." They walked home never once uttering a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was super fun. And I know I made the Tsuchikage a little mean. But she truly just wants to keep the peace. I get a feel from her that she doesn't like it when she doesn't know a lot of information about something. Which is why she wants to keep Boruto under lock and key. But in the end, she trusts the Hokage.

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think Boruto would look like if he consumed a chakra fruit? I'd like to think he'd glow pink or somn.


End file.
